New Releases for April 19, 2019

April 18, 2019

May Program Titles Released This Week:

After The Burial – Evergreen CD/LP (Sumerian)

“After the Burial is the master of releasing tracks and albums that are full of memorable hooks, ones that force the listener to grin with childish glee; an oft-forgotten vibe in progressive metal and the entire genre. In addition to the first single, tracks like ‘Exit, Exist’ mimic ‘Collapse’ (off 2016’s Dig Deep) with its fast-paced low-end chug-bend-fest, and ‘In Flux’ opens with a ‘My Frailty’ (from In Dreams) intro dissonant riff before diving head first into an off-kilter but high BPM riff that becomes instantly memorable. In contrast, tracks like ‘Respire’ are much more straightforward with an increased focus on drawing from hardcore and metalcore influences with staple chug overlaid with melodies and are an instant playlist addition for all the gym going fans. In a world of increasingly overthought and bloated yet forgettable progressive ‘djent’, After The Burial prove why they are genre giants and could not have picked a more aptly named record. If you are someone who likes their metal to be pure headbanging, grooving, bopping experience without pretentious subtleties, this record is definitely for you.” – Metal Wani

Jade Bird – Jade Bird CD/LP (Glassnote)

“With her fiery pop-Americana, singer-songwriter Jade Bird is determined to make a name for herself in 2019 – all on her own terms. She feels a greater kinship with American songwriters such as Gillian Welch and Julien Baker than putative British forebear Jake Bugg, who famously railed against manufactured pop while employing blue-chip songwriters. Bird plays guitar and writes everything. Her self-titled debut is appropriately bold. Its 12 polished tracks shift between barn-burners, wry acoustic jangle and affecting piano ballads. Her protagonists are often jilting women or foolish men being lured away by (occasionally two-dimensional) temptresses. As a woman, she says: ‘It’s really interesting to confront the same expectations as white male guitarists and exceed them. That’s my biggest goal, to keep smashing expectations. When people are like, oh, you’re country? Well, here’s an indie rock song. Now it’s punk, and I know what I’m talking about. It’s always been so important for me to be respected over being heralded.’ Bird’s tornado of personality, redoubtable conviction and sterling debut suggest the choice won’t be an issue.” – The Guardian

Cage The Elephant – Social Cues CD/LP+MP3 (RCA)

“Social Cues is a satisfying collection of glitzy anthems, breezy vibes, and even some earnestly introspective highlights that showcase technical and creative maturity. From the start, the album impresses with its production courtesy of John Hill, whose work with venerated peers like Florence + The Machine and Portugal. The Man speaks for itself. Opener ‘Broken Boy’ immediately dishes out dissonant energy and ethereality before channeling 1960s surf rock attitude via sharp, overlapping guitar chords and steadfast rhythms. Blended with vocalist Matt Shultz’s trademark presence, a fusion of 1970s punk attitude and classic Mick Jagger swagger, it’s a superficial yet sufficiently gripping good time. Likewise, the consequent title track is lighter and more danceable in terms of both mix and melodies, whereas ‘Night Running’ is funky and spacey, entrancing the listener in easygoing colorfulness and—thanks to special guest Beck—warmly chill vocals. Further along, ‘House of Glass’ feels like an aggressive amalgamation of Super Furry Animals and the Last Shadow Puppets, and the punchy ‘Tokyo Smoke’ is lovingly ornamented by inventive effects and luscious synths amongst its resolute accessibility.” – Pop Matters [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Drugdealer – Raw Honey CD/LP (Mexican Summer)

In an era when networked access to information is nearly universal and wearing influences on your sleeve is normalized, it often feels like everything’s been done. Which begs the questions: What’s the point of creating? Does the world need another still life of fruit? Another film about love? Does the world need another melody? On Raw Honey, his second album as Drugdealer, Michael Collins colors these existential conundrums with lush arrangements, memetic melodies, and a vulnerable tunefulness that tries to make sense of self-doubt and connected loneliness in our shared simulacra. Raw Honey continues where The End Of Comedy left off, with Collins once again leading an ace crew of collaborators to coalesce the spirit of Drugdealer’s classically modern pop. He has an ear for penning numbers that would sound as at home on Classic Rock radio as they would at Zebulon in Los Angeles. Rather than hiding behind a curtain or casually sidestepping AOR tropes, Raw Honey adheres to a modern kind of creation – one that cultivates influences and espouses reverence.

Fat White Family – Serfs Up! CD/LP (Domino)

Serfs Up! is a lush and masterful work, lascivious and personal. Tropical, sympathetic and grandiose, it invites the listener in rather than repel them through willful abrasion. In one of the most gratifying and unexpected creative volte-face in living musical memory, the band you hate to love have stormed the palace, ceased the throne, and are set to embark are on their imperial phase as overlords of a kingdom of their own making. Gregorian chants, jackboot glam beats, string flourishes, sophisticated and lush cocktail exotica, electro funk and the twin spirits of Alan Vega and Afrika Bambaataa punctuate the record at various junctures, while the dramatic production of Feet is as immaculately-rendered as Hounds Of Love-era Kate Bush. The dirt is still there of course, but scrape it away and you’ll find a purring engine, gleaming chrome. [Indie-store exclusive vinyl edition available.]

Wynton Marsalis – Bolden (Original Soundtrack) CD (Blue Engine)

For the original soundtrack of Bolden, nine-time Grammy Award winner Wynton Marsalis faced a nearly impossible task: bring fellow cornetist and New Orleanian Buddy Bolden, widely considered one of the fathers of jazz, back from the dead. But on this album, Marsalis enthusiastically resurrects the bawdy, brassy sound of Bolden as no one else can, throwing a Big Easy party that romps through some of Bolden’s most beloved material. Featuring acclaimed vocalists Catherine Russell and Brianna Thomas and an all-star cast of instrumentalists that includes Wycliffe Gordon, Victor Goines, Marcus Printup, and more, Marsalis brings turn-of-the-century New Orleans back to life, imbuing early jazz classics popularized by Bolden and his competitor Louis Armstrong with a modern sound and energy.

Yawpers – Human Question CD/LP+MP3 (Bloodshot)

The Yawpers are the sheep in wolf’s clothing. Through their first three albums, the group divined a signature style-what Pitchfork described as “an expansive vision of rock ‘n’ roll, one that cherrypicks from various folk traditions: punk, rockabilly, blues, whatever they might have on hand or find in the trash.” The sound is a front-heavy, groovy, fire & brimstone punk-blues overlying a dynamic and metaphysical roots rock. On their fourth album, Human Question, the Denver trio zooms out to a vaster and accessible stylistic and spiritual universe. The 38-minute thrill ride generates growth and cathartic self-reflection for audience and performer alike. If there was justice in this world, the Yawpers would be the savior that rock and roll didn’t know it was waiting for.

Brad Armstrong’s second solo album is beautiful, haunting, and harshly poetic. This is not gritty soul. It is soulful grit that fuels this 13-song journey that’s well worth taking.

Tim Baker – Forever Overhead CD/LP (Arts & Crafts)

Centered on kinship and the complexities of human connections, Forever Overhead features Baker’s raw and observational songwriting which was at the heart his previous band, Hey Rosetta.

Bells Atlas – Mystic CD/LP (Tender Loving Empire)

Bells Atlas is a psychedelic R&B band from Oakland, California. On Mystic, the band digs further into their soulful aesthetic to explore both sound and storytelling.

Heather Woods Broderick – Invitation CD/LP (Western Vinyl)

Heather Woods Broderick’s new album Invitation is about rediscovering the everyday magic and healing potential found in nature. It’s also about recognizing that even though it’s not easy, we can shift our perspectives on our lives when our circumstances seem bleak. Ultimately it’s about accepting the myriad little invitations the universe sends us to keep moving forward, and in so doing, redefining one’s self-perception, in order to establish a new sense of equilibrium and inner peace. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Jonatha Brooke – Imposter CDEP (Bad Dog)

On her new EP, Imposter, Jonatha stated I explored a few different themes on Imposter; feeling like the emperor with no clothes, a very cinematic excursion into revenge, that ever present struggle with faith and loss. These are songs I developed and fell in love with over a longer period of time than usual, so I had the luxury that they turned out exactly as I had hoped and dreamed they would.

Buck-O-Nine – Fundaymental CD/LP (Cleopatra)

The first new album from much loved SoCal ska-punk band in over 10 years [Limited red colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Emma Bunton – My Happy Place CD/CD+Book (BMG)

My Happy Place is Emma’s fourth solo album and comes 13 years after 2006’s Life In Mono. It mainly consists of covers (just two out of the 10 tracks are original compositions) including The Beatles’ “Here Comes The Sun”, Norah Jones’ “Come Away With Me” and a new version of her former group The Spice Girls’ “2 Become 1” featuring Robbie Williams.

Loyle Carner – Not Waving, But Drowning CD/LP (Caroline)

Sophomore album from the British hip-hop artist featuring collaborations with Jorja Smith, Kwes, Sampha, Tom Misch, and more.

Cayucas – Real Life CD/LP (Park The Van)

New album from the Los Angeles-based band known for their sunny, melodic surf rock and buoyant, rhythmic jams.

Chokehold – With This Thread I Hold On CD (Good Fight Music)

The seminal ’90s hardcore band returns with their first full-length studio effort of new material in nearly 25 years. [Vinyl edition due May 9.]

Cocoa Tea – Music Is Our Business CD/LP (VP)

A premium blend of the very best of the Jamaican reggae/dancehall singer/songwriter/DJ’s non-album sides recorded for Bobby Digital alongside a gold leaf selection of previously unreleased nuggets.

Loyle Corner – Not Waving, But Drowning CD/LP (Caroline)

The sophomore album from the British hip-hop artist features collaborations with Jorja Smith, Kwes, Sampha, Tom Misch, and more.

Dawn Of Demise – Into The Depths Of Veracity CD (Unique Leader)

The Silkeborg, Denmark based death metal powerhouse deliver their fifth full length slab. Twelve tracks of monstrous, brutal death metal. [Vinyl edition due April 26.]

Dead To A Dying World – Elegy CD/LP (Profound Lore)

New album from the Texas based elemental dark metal ensemble. Dead To A Dying World craft their vast aural landscape with a flourish consisting of seamless sonic textures guided by apocalyptic dark metal, doom, and epic cinematic post rock, consisting of three monolithic central tracks reinforced by three stirring interval segments. Melodic surges thrive throughout the album’s discourse, whether through the more aggressive post-black metal parts or the more melancholic parts.

Field Medic – Fade Into The Dawn Baby CD/LP (Run For Cover)

Ten sparse, acoustic tracks that reckon with our perceptions of success and self as they face down the inevitable complications that arise from realizing any hard-won dream. [Limited blue colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Bernard Fowler – Inside Out CD/LP (Rhyme & Reason)

An impromptu jam session during a Rolling Stones sound check led to Inside Out, the new album by longtime collaborator/vocalist Bernard Fowler. Think back to the pre-hip-hop work of Gil Scott-Heron and you’ll start to get a feel for what Fowler has done; taking classic Stones tracks, including some deep cuts, and reimagining them for a new audience.

Fractal Universe – Rhizomes Of Insanity CD (Metal Blade)

Fractal Universe’s sophomore full-length hits as hard intellectually as it does sonically, affirming the French quartet’s place on the progressive death metal map.

Ian Gillan And The Javelins ‎– Raving With Ian Gillan And The Javelins [Reissue/2000] CD/LP (earMUSIC)

Having only been previously available as a fan club label release, the long-forgotten debut Raving With Ian Gillan And The Javelins includes 14 cover versions of ‘60s pop classics, all done the Javelins way and straight out of the band’s 60s set list. Ranging from Chuck Berry to Cliff Richard and The Coasters, these catchy songs transport you back into a time when rock ‘n’ roll music was at its prime.

Grand Magus – Wolf God CD (Nuclear Blast America)

Wolf God rises over the heavy metal scene majestically and let the guitar riffs speak for themselves. [Vinyl edition due April 26.]

Josh Groban – Bridges Live: Madison Square Garden CD+DVD (Reprise)

Recorded live from the final US stop of his 2018 Bridges Tour at the famed Madison Square Garden, the multi-platinum award-winning singer is joined by Tony-Award winning artist Idina Menzel, Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles, all backed by a five-member band, 20-member choir and 15-piece orchestra.

Heart Attack Man – Fake Blood CD/LP (Triple Crown)

Cleveland, OH’s fast rising Heart Attack Man have been making music since 2013, originally starting as an outlet for singer/guitarist Eric Egan. The project quickly morphed into a fully realized four-piece band that started touring throughout the Midwest fine tuning their own brand of rousing, noisy post-hardcore and indie power-pop.

Hot Sardines – Welcome Home, Bon Voyage CD/LP (Eleven Records Eight)

Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. “These are times that need live music. And I don’t know of anything that brings people together like the joy of hearing traditional jazz live,” says Elizabeth Bougerol, co-leader of The Hot Sardines, with pianist/bandleader, Evan Palazzo.

Incantation – Upon The Throne Of The Apocalypse [Reissue/1995] CD/LP (Relapse)

First-time remastered audio of the death metal legend’s Upon the Throne Of Apocalypse, which was originally released in 1995 and is comprised of the original rough mix of the 1994 album Mortal Throne Of Nazarene. Dynamic-yet-raw, brutal-yet-atmospheric, and death-yet-doomy, this remastered edition features the original artwork by Wes Benscoter (Slayer, Nile, Cattle Decapitation).

Johnnyswim – Moonlight CD/LP (BMG)

Moonlight is the third album from the critically acclaimed Los Angeles band led by husband-and-wife Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano. Legendary crooner Michael McDonald lends his immortal wail to downright anthemic album track “The Last Time”.

Angelique Kidjo – Celia CD (Verve)

Angelique Kidjo reflects on an icon of the Americas, celebrated salsa singer Celia Cruz. Over ten tracks, Celia divests itself of the glamour to investigate the African roots of the Cuban-born woman who became the Queen of salsa, a music genre invented in New York by Caribbean immigrants. The album features musical assistance from Tony Allen, Meshell Ndegeocello, David Donatien, Shabaka Hutchings and Sons Of Kemet And The Gangbé Brass Band.

Will Kimbrough – I Like It Down Here CD/LP (Will Kimbrough/Soundly Music)

I Like It Down Here deals a lot with Kimbrough’s home region, the South, and his roots there: the place where he knew the shortcuts to get to every gig, where he’d had a great upbringing in Lower Alabama with a close family, where he first caught on as a guitar-blazing 16-year-old pop-rock wunderkind, where the last public lynching was in 1981, and where Confederate flags fly from homes not infrequently to this day.

The duo of Julian Lage and Gyan Riley is now legendary. Featuring a high level of virtuosity tempered by elegance, love, respect and impeccable taste, their work with Zorn has produced a variety of masterpieces: a magical set of Bagatelles, the sweet midnight music of Midsummer Moons and the rocking new band Insurrection. Here they pour their soulful mastery into 10 compositions from The Book Beriah and their magical interplay is at its most telepathic as they work every possible variation out of these lyrical and adventurous Zorn compositions.

The Legendary Pink Dots – Come Out From The Shadows II CD/LP (Cleopatra)

A collection of studio recordings recorded at Klaverland Studio in the Netherlands during the summer of 1992. These recordings find the Dots at their most adventurous, improvising and jamming out songs with special guests Steven Stapleton of Nurse With Wound and former Dot Patrick Q. Wright and laying down the material that would eventually become their albums The Shadow Weaver and Malachi. [Limited white colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Lowdown Drifters – Last Call For Dreamers CD (MRI Associated)

The Lowdown Drifters is a country folk rock band from Washington State formed in 2015 from a shared love of songwriting with the goal of fostering and furthering the tradition of country music. Vinyl edition due May 3.]

Mike + The Mechanics – Out Of The Blue CD/LP (BMG Rights Management)

Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Mike + The Mechanics’ new album, Out Of The Blue, features re-workings of some of their best-loved tracks, including “The Living Years” and “Over My Shoulder”, along with the three brand new songs “One Way”, “What Would You Do” and “Out Of The Blue”.

The Naked Sweat Drips – Pain In Healing CD/LP (Butler)

The Dutch psychedelic rock band present their emotionally loaded second album.

Aaron Neville is the third oldest of the four Neville Brothers. The brothers were catapulted to international stardom when they started recording together in 1977, but by this point Aaron had spent the last 17 years building up a substantial catalogue of quality soul and funk. Much of this had been recorded under Allen Toussiant’s guidance for Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn’s Sansu Enterprises. This 25 CD collects the best recordings he made for Sansu between 1969 and the formation of The Neville Brothers in 1977.

New Orleans Jazz Orchestra – Songs: The Music Of Allen Toussaint CD (Storyville)

The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, now in it’s seventeenth year, is dedicated to preserving the tradition of New Orleans music and culture while exploring the works of artists that might be considered slightly outside the realm of jazz. Songs: The Music of Allen Toussaint is the fourth studio recording by the Orchestra and the first under new music director Adonis Rose.

Stevie Nicks – Stand Back: 1981–2017 3xCD (Atlantic)

50-track career-spanning triple-CD set including solo hits, studio recordings, collaborations, soundtrack work and live cuts. [Vinyl edition due June 27.]

Daniel Norgren – Wooh Dang CD/LP (Superpuma)

Recorded live and entirely on a 16 track analogue rig, Wooh Dang captures the close chemistry between Norgren and his band, comprised of old friends Anders Grahn (bass), Erik Berntsson (drums), and Andreas Filipsson (guitar and banjo). An intertwining of analog instrumentation, live performance, and rural field recordings, the album is rife with a deeply hopeful creative intention.

The O’Jays – The Last Word CD/LP (S-Curve)

The final album from the legendary soul outfit.

John Patitucci – Soul Of The Bass CD (John Patitucci)

Patitucci continues his trailblazing ways on his 6-string electric bass guitar, offering a stirring interpretation of the “Allemande” from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 5, and exploring new sonic terrain by applying his six as a color to some of his acoustic bass inventions.

Rolling Stones – Honk CD/3xCD/2xLP (Interscope)

New compilation from the legendary rock ‘n’ roll band featuring their biggest hits and classic cuts from all of their studio album spanning 1971 to 2016. The single-disc edition (and double-LP) features 20 tracks; the expanded triple-CD edition features 36 tracks plus a bonus 10-track live recorded during the band’s more recent sold-out tours featuring guests Florence Welch, Dave Grohl, Brad Paisley and more.

Francis Ross/Hannah Rickard – We Talk Too Much CD (earMUSIC)

The duo met when Hannah Rickard worked with Status Quo on the hugely successful “Aquostic” projects. Reconnecting with one of Rossi’s true loves, this is a collection of country-flavored duets.

Jordan Rudess – Wired For Madness CD/LP (Music Theories)

Jordan Rudess has been the full-time keyboardist with Dream Theater since 1999’s Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory, as well as releasing his own acclaimed solo works with accompanying solo tours, developing his own range of award-winning keyboard apps, writing instruction books and teaching online keyboard courses. Wired For Madness is his latest solo release and features all of the drama, technique and melodicism that have become his musical hallmarks.

Samael – Solar Soul [Reissue/2007] CD (Napalm)

Samael – Lux Mundi [Reissue/2011] CD (Napalm)

A pair of expanded and remastered reissues from the Industrial/black metal band. [Vinyl editions due April 26.]

Seaway – Fresh Produce CD/LP (Pure Noise)

Formed in 2011, Seaway has become known for their highly infectious brand of pop punk – one that strikes the perfect balance between the two styles and recalls a time when the genre centered on having fun. Fresh Produce is a collection of B-sides and alternate versions.

Stick In The Wheel – From Here: English Folk Field Recordings Vol. 2 CD/LP (From Here)

This is not the collecting of songs to fit a pre-determined view of what folk music should be – rather, an attempt at documenting of what it is – a continuum that thrives, flourishes and persists in England; from old Northumbrian kingdoms, through the Midlands, way over to the Welsh border, with an expanding set of experimental and traditional musicians interpreting the music that roots them, in their own unique ways.

Tech N9ne – N9NA CD (Strange Music)

New album from the rapper features Futuristic, Krizz Kaliko, JL, Jelly Roll, Maez301.

Prins Thomas – Ambitions CD/LP (Smalltown Supersound)

Prins Thomas’ sixth album picks up from where he left off with Principe Del Norte, but the tracks are shorter, more melodic and more concise.

Anna Tivel – The Question CD/LP (Fluff & Gravy)

Fourth album from the Portland singer/songwriter. “Songwriters do something really special: They take details of the world around and within us, and express them in words and music in order to connect us not only to them and their work, but to each other, if not ourselves, as well. It’s an infinitely generous gift they have. And the ones who can turn plain spoken language into breath-taking poetry are the rarest of the breed. Anna Tivel has that talent and more than willingly shares it with the world.” – Folk Alley

Tripsitter – The Other Side Of Sadness CD/LP (Prosthetic)

Founded in Innsbruck, Austria circa 2014, Tripsitter draw heavily from black metal, shoegaze and hardcore to create their own unique sonic brew.

TR/ST – The Destroyer – 1 CD/LP (House Arrest)

The first of a pair of new albums to be released this year by Robert Alfons aka TR/ST (pronounced ‘Trust’). Up first is The Destroyer – 1, which Alfons considers “really intense, sort of promiscuous in its sound,” and certainly more uptempo, while the “darker” The Destroyer – 2 will be out later in the year.

UT – Conviction [Reissue/1986] CD (Out)

Originating in the downtown NYC No Wave scene and inheritors of the collision between rock, free jazz and the avant-garde, UT exploded the rigidity of conventional rock, constructing songs through collective improvisation, swapping instruments and rotating the role of singer / director. [Vinyl edition due May 10.]

Various Artists – Ain’t Too Proud: The Life And Times Of The Temptations CD (UMe)

Ain’t Too Proud: The Life And Times Of The Temptations is the electrifying musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys), and featuring choreography by Tony nominee Sergio Trujillo. [ Vinyl edition due June 6.]

Twelve tracks of rare New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. Kind of a Nuggets, Pebbles or Killed By

Various Artists – Poppies: Assorted Finery From The First Psychedelic Age CD (Craft Recordings)

Released on vinyl for RSD 2019 – now available on CD. Poppies: Assorted Finery From The First Psychedelic Age showcases the breadth of music touched by psychedelia in the late 1960s whether it be pop, folk or rock. This eclectic mix of psychedelic masters is drawn from the Vanguard, Original Sound and Stax catalogs, offering tracks from cult-classic artists such as Buffy Sainte-Marie, Southwest F.O.B., the Serpent Power and many more.

Death for NWOBHM.

Wand – Laughing Matter CD/LP/Cassette (Drag City)

Wand’s new generous double-album Laughing Matter is a record of love and terror experienced in epic doses. It is part fuzzy parable, travel diary, pep talk and lullaby, with Wand going as far they can, from concise guitar rock to multifarious, eclectic pastiche, rich with disruption and ascendant choruses.

This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:

American Authors – Seasons LP (Island)

Released in February on CD – now available on vinyl. Seasons is the third album from the Brooklyn-based multi-platinum group. American Authors embraced formative ’90s influences, from alternative stalwarts like Weezer and Nirvana.

American War Machine – Unholy War LP (Brentwood Benson)

Hailing from Boston and featuring members of Slapshot, Agnostic Front, Blood For Blood, and Intent To Injure, hardcore powerhouse American War Machine deliver their debut album.

The Apartments – Live At L’Ubu LP (Talitres)

The very first live recording from the Australian chamber-popsters, recorded in 2015.

Bananarama – Deep Sea Skiving [Reissue/1983] LP+CD (London)

Bananarama – Bananarama [Reissue/1984] LP+CD (London)

Bananarama – True Confessions [Reissue/1986] LP+CD (London)

Bananarama – Wow! [Reissue/1987] /LP+CD (London)

Bananarama – Pop Life [Reissue/1991] LP+CD (London)

Bananarama – Please Yourself [Reissue/1993] LP+CD (London)

Bananarama – Drama [Reissue/2005] LP+CD (London)

Bananarama – Viva [Reissue/2009] LP+CD (London)

Colored vinyl reissues each bundled with a CD. Bananarama helped define the ’80s with their run of pop hits and are often cited as the UK’s most successful ever girl group with five UK singles and ten Top 10s.

Richard Barbieri – Stranger Inside [Reissue/2008] 2xLP (Kscope)

As a member of the new-wave pioneers Japan, Richard Barbieri was a leader in creating the ground-breaking synthesizer sound and use of electronic equipment that influenced a generation of artists. His second solo effort, Stranger Inside, followed the artistic and critical success of debut Things Buried (which was reissued on vinyl a few weeks ago), further developing his unique sound.

Dave Bickler – Dark Light LP (Deko Music)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Dave Bickler started his musical career as lead singer of 1970s rock group Jamestown Massacre (Billboard Top 100 song “Summer Sun”) but is best known as the vocalist for the Grammy Award winning rock band Survivor. Limited grey colored vinyl pressing.

Born Of Orsis – The Simulation LP (Sumerian)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Sixth album from the American prog-metal/djent frontrunners. [Limited white colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Bronski Beat – The Age Of Consent [Reissue/1984] LP+2xCD (London)

Limited pink colored vinyl LP pressing. This era-defining, pop classic includes debut single “Small Town Boy”, a huge global hit, which continues to resonate with today’s LGBT+ generation and remains a dancefloor staple. To celebrate the 35-year anniversary of Bronski Beat’s forming, The Age Of Consent has been remastered and expanded.

Brooks & Dunn – Reboot LP (SME Nashville)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Reboot is the first album in 12 years from the country music duo. It is comprised of re-recorded duet versions of their hits with some of the hottest stars in contemporary music.

Nick Cave/Warren Ellis – The Assassination Of Jessy James By The Coward Robert Ford [OST/2007] LP (Mute)

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – of Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, The Dirty Three and Grinderman – composed, played and produced a compelling and intense soundtrack for director Andrew Dominik’s savage tale of the true West. The score captures perfectly the charismatic and unpredictable nature of its central protagonist. Like the film, Cave and Ellis’ music cuts through the mythic figure of Jesse James to reveal the complex, contradictory man beneath.

Grandes Éxitos originally appeared in 1982 under the title of Exitos …Exitos …Exitos. It gathered some of the first recordings by Chacalon y La Nueva Crema that were released on 7” records between 1977 and 1981. These twelve themes were written during the years of the de facto government of Francisco Morales Bermúdez.

Quelle Chris – Guns 2xLP (Mello Music Group)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “Over the years, the Detroit-raised, Brooklyn-based rapper and producer Quelle Chris has become one of the most thoughtful, inventive, bugged-out forces on the rap underground” (Stereogum). Quelle’s new album, Guns, features contributions from Jean Grae, Mach-Hommy, Denmark Vessey, and Bilal Salaam, among others. “Guns is an arsenal of both sounds, styles and subjects. At its core it’s about things that can be weaponized for good or evil, including ourselves. The words we say, what we fear, how we love, how we live, what we ingest, what we believe in, who we idolize, sh*t like that. Somewhat a sonic study of the question “do ‘guns kill people or do people kill people?” I never start an album the same way, but one constant is I try to forget about everything I made before and do something different. Because I’m a fan too and I like hearing new things. I’d say we accomplished that with Guns. My goal with this and all albums is to create pieces people can enjoy, start to finish, for decades to come.” – Quelle Chris

The fifth part of the Strata-East Dolphy Series, Glass Bead Games is arguably the crown jewel of the Strata East movement, an amorphous genre that treads an unusual path between post-bop, ‘70s avant-garde and spiritual jazz, with a groove. Glass Bead Games is full of revelations at many levels.

The Disco Biscuits ‎– Señor Boombox [Reissue/2002] LP (Megaforce)

First time vinyl edition of the 2002 album from the Philadelphia, PA trance fusion pioneers. The Disco Biscuits bridge the gap between electronic music and jam bands here with groovy and genre-jumping good-time party anthems that are built on stellar musicianship and improvisation and are tailor made for the stage.

Evergrey – The Atlantic LP (AFM)

Two colored vinyl editions of the new album from the Swedish dark melodic metal masters: red and blue.

The Fall ‎– Imperial Wax Solvent [Reissue/2008] LP (Cherry Red)

Limited yellow colored vinyl pressing. Originally released in April 2008, Imperial Wax Solvent was the band’s twentieth album and featured a new British-based line-up: Mark E. Smith, keyboardist Elena Poulou and bassist Dave Spurr remain from the previous incarnation. They were joined on Imperial by guitarist Pete Greenway and drummer Keiron Melling. “Mark E. Smith and his latest collection of bandmates reprise all the buzzy, crunchy sonic hallmarks of great Fall…” – Pitchfork

Florida-bred rapper Ghostemane’s 2018 album N/O/I/S/E (No One Is Safe from Evil) is now available on vinyl. It features contributions from Arthur Rizk (Code Orange, Power Trip, Cavalera Conspiracy), guitarist Mark Bronzino (Iron Reagan, Mammoth Grinder) and drummer Cayle Sain (Twitching Tongues, Mizery, Downpresser). Ghostemane’s merging of rap and metal gained him popularity on SoundCloud, amongst other underground artists such as Scarlxrd, Bones and Suicideboys.

Scott Gilmore – Two Bedroom Motel LP (Crammed Disc)

Los Angeles based Scott Gilmore produces his own unique brand of seductive, beguiling and dreamy pop music, writing melodies, harmonies and counter melodies into his music to develop a sense of forward motion. Influenced by Eno, Cluster, Kraftwerk, YMO, as well as ’70s and ’80s Ethiopian Music and J.S. Bach, his music has elicited comparisons to sounds as diverse as those of Air, Stereolab, Italian film music from the ’70s and to solitary eccentrics such as R. Stevie Moore and Captain Beefheart.

I Am What I Am Bristles with all the arresting qualities for which this unrivaled artist is prized. Every song is imbued with the near alchemical power of his dazzling vocal performances, and Haggard’s interpretive mastery and unmatched phrasing continues to bring on impressive measures of sensitivity, candor and authority. Haggard’s second Vanguard album (his first was I Am What I Am) introduces a set of stellar new originals, revisits some Johnny Cash classics and puts on a new spin on his own “Working Man Blues” featuring Willie Nelson and Merle’s son Ben.

Ice Cube – Everythangs Corrupt 2xLP (Interscope)

Released late last year on CD, the 10th solo album from the West Coast rapper/actor is now available on vinyl.

After turning in a wall-shaking remix of Montréal electronic duo Essaie Pas last year, Romanian production duo Khidja present their first EP for DFA. These four tracks are deep, spooky heaters – think John Carpenter in the club, with industrial basslines, frenetic melodies careening a bit out of control, and vocals echoing from the corners of the room.

Lakker – Época LP (Apollo)

Following 2016’s conceptual 8 track maxi-EP Struggle And Emerge (using field recordings of TV and radio broadcasts from the Dutch National AV archive) Época is a bracing return to form, combining caustic electronics with fresh inspiration from the prepared piano of John Cage, plaintive folk melodies, the explorative label Sublime Frequencies and the raw rhythms of Kampala’s Nyege Nyege Tapes.

LÉON – LÉON LP (BMG Rights Management)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. With effortless style equally reverent of dreamy sixties Laurel Canyon and modern day Europe, Swedish songstress LÉON projects the kind of understated confidence a non-chatty Quentin Tarantino character might have.

200gm audiophile vinyl pressing mastered at 45rpm. A true triple threat, Nils Lofgren has distinguished himself as the writer of melodic, affecting, and hard-rocking songs, a sensitive and seemingly ageless singer, and a guitarist of incomparable power and imagination. Along with his diverse work as a solo artist, Lofgren has been a member of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band for the past three decades and is a former member of Neil Young’s Crazy Horse, working on such iconic recordings as After the Gold Rush and Tonight’s the Night. Acoustic Live is a classic January 1997 show recorded brilliantly by Ron Freeland at the Barns of Wolftrap in Vienna, Virginia.

Slostboycrow – Santa Fe LP (Red Music)

Lostboycrow is an idea that pays homage to new beginnings and a poignant heritage – best described as a pop minded vocalists dark love affair with the world of modern R&B.

Living and recording in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Chris and Paul composed and released several albums of folk-rock and album-oriented synth-pop before their attentions turned towards sound healing music in the early 1980s. The duo was approached by a company doing biofeedback therapy and asked to create an aural component for patients looking to regain control of nervous disorders. After extensive preparations and just one day of studio time, Passage was the result, recorded live with no additional overdubs.

Matt Maeson – Bank On The Funeral LP (Atlantic)

Virginia Beach, VA-based singer/songwriter Matt Maeson hails from Virginia Beach, VA, where his parents played in Christian heavy-metal bands and he was barred from listening to rock on the radio. Maeson grew up traveling with his parents’ outreach ministry, gaining unlikely experience by performing in prisons and biker rallies.

Matt Mason has always known that music would be a big part of his life. In fact, one of Mason’s earliest memories is the time his family took him to see The Grand Ole Opry at The Ryman Auditorium. Matt recalls telling his Father that night he would perform on that very same stage one day. Little did they know that several years later Matt would indeed take the stage at The Mother Church, as the Winner of CMT’s Next Superstar.

Opeth ‎– My Arms, Your Hearse [Reissue/1998] LP (Candlelight)

Double blue and yellow vinyl pressing of the third full-length studio album by progressive metal band.

Ela Orleans – Movies For Ears LP+MP3 (Carpark)

A retrospective collection of works by Polish-born, Glasgow-based artist Ela Orleans which navigates almost two decades of songwriting in the heart of the global pop underground. This remastered collection casts an ear over what Orleans might call the ‘pop sensibility’ within her back catalogue. [CD edition due April 26.]

Reggie And The Full Effect’s not-at-all accurately titled 1999 debut album Greatest Hits ’84 – ’87 makes a triumphant return to vinyl in a colored LP edition with three songs never released on the format after nearly two decades of being out-of-print. Brilliantly simplistic emotional pop-punk songs inter-cut with humorous insanity.

Resonars – No Exit LP (Trouble In Mind)

Over the course of 22 years and six albums as The Resonars, Matt Rendon’s musical vision has remained unwavering; a paean to a lost-era of analog recording, whip-smart, dynamic songwriting, and soul-stirring anthems to ignite generations. No Exit is his latest album as The Resonars. Rendon has consistently proven to have a knack for an everyman style of songwriting that doesn’t seem rote or tired, lacing his melodic vocal harmonies with that melancholic joy omnipresent in the best numbers by bands like The Beach Boys, Big Star or even Simon & Garfunkel’s pop hits.

Terry Riley ‎– A Rainbow In Curved Air [Reissue/1969] LP (Classical Music On Vinyl)

Keyboard virtuoso Terry Riley started experimenting with different instruments in the ’50s. One of his electronic music landmarks is his third album A Rainbow in Curved Air which has been repressed on limited edition transparent vinyl to mark its 50th anniversary.

Originally released in 1983, jazz fusion masterpiece Memories In Beach House is now available on vinyl.

Shy Girls – Bird On The Wing LP+MP3 (RCA)

Limited colored vinyl pressing of the sophomore album from Shy Girls AKA acclaimed pop singer/producer Dan Vidmar. Self-produced and recorded at Shy Girls’ home studio, the 11-track project features a diverse mixture of lo-fi soul, minimalist grooves, and contemporary R&B, all tied together by Shy Girls’ signature warm vocals.

Limited picture disc pressings of five albums from the acclaimed Ohio metal quintet. An amalgamation of classic Bay Area thrash, Scandinavian death/black metal and NWOBHM.

Sleaford Mods – Eton Alive LP (Extreme Eating)

Recently released on CD and limited colored vinyl – standard black vinyl pressing now available. Sleaford Mods are one of the most important, politically charged and thought-provoking duos currently making their mark on the UK music scene and beyond.

Swollen Members ‎– Balance [Reissue/1999] LP (Battleaxe)

Four-time Juno award-winning hip-hop group Swollen Members reissue their iconic debut album on vinyl for the first time since its original 1999 release. Guest stars include Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Saafir, Dilated Peoples, Everlast, and Son Doobie. Track 3, and Lady Venom.

Venom – Storm The Gates 2xLP (Spinefarm)

Double picture disc vinyl LP pressing in gatefold jacket. 2018 release from the metal icons. Approaching their 40th anniversary as a band, Storm The Gates is their fifteenth studio album – the raw sound of a band who don’t need tricks of technology to make their point.

The Way Down Wanderers – Illusions LP (ORG Music)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. With their sophomore album, Illusions, the Way Down Wanderers have fine-tuned their signature blend of heartfelt songwriting, lyrical harmonies, and dance floor drumbeats. These eleven songs are informed by a diverse range of musical traditions, somewhere between bluegrass and hip-hop, and the result is an album that sounds both timeless and fresh.

Wild Belle – Everybody One Of A Kind LP (Tuff Gong)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Everybody One Of A Kind is a freaked-out sonic collage of all the things that might have previously brought you into Wild Belle’s universe: The breezy reggae feelings on Isles (2012) the darker edges of Dreamland (2016), and a vibrant new energy that marries past and future. The album bends genres and busts stylistic boundaries; dub reggae, soul, R&B and pop are all fair game.

Tal Wilkenfeld – Love Remains LP (BMG)

Tal Wilkenfeld is a musical marvel; the kind of dynamic young talent whose fresh vision and uncanny intuition puts a whole new perspective on an age-old art form. While many people know Tal as the masterly bassist with Jeff Beck and her high-profile guest appearances with legends from Mick Jagger and Prince to The Allman Bros and Herbie Hancock, music fans are about to discover an entirely new side of Tal as a vocalist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer.

Wooden Shjips – Shjips In The Night: Live In San Francisco June 8, 2018 LP (Silver Current)

Now entering their 13th year of drone and dirge drug-boogie, the Wooden Shjips, one of the linchpins of the neo-psychedelic movement of the new millennium, continue to expand on their concept of the eternal and infinite riff, ever higher and outward, year after year. Their first official live album, Shjips In The Night: Live In San Francisco, June 8, 2018 is as much a summation of their journey so far as it is an ultra-saturated, full color snap-shot of their peak live powers at present.

Yip Deciever – Koniec 12” (Aerobic Int’l)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Athens GA’s Yip Deceiver returns with a six song EP. Influences of punk, rock, R&B, and pop are all glued together by the synth driven production of Davey Pierce (Inkwell, of Montreal).

Cassettes:

Wand – Laughing Matter CD/LP/Cassette (Drag City)

Wand’s new generous double-album Laughing Matter is a record of love and terror experienced in epic doses. It is part fuzzy parable, travel diary, pep talk and lullaby, with Wand going as far they can, from concise guitar rock to multifarious, eclectic pastiche, rich with disruption and ascendant choruses.